Toller's at it again... Sport on Thin Ice

[chuckm]

A little bit OT, but if you click on "Next Story" it says that Cinquanta announced a new prize fund, totaling $450,000, for the top finishers in the ISU rating system, starting nect year, The article says that this was a response to the fact that most of the top people opted out of Worlds this year.

That, however, doesn't make sense. The Olympic year is unique in that some Olympic champions elect to skip worlds for various reasons. That won't apply next year, when the new prizes begin.

It looks to me like it is intended as additional encouragement to do the Grand Prix.

MM

A response to the fact that skaters opted out of Worlds? That's laughable. The ISU ranking system puts the major emphasis on the Grand Prix, not Worlds.

The way the rankings are set up, skaters get points for Olympics OR Worlds OR Euros/4CC, whichever had the highest points, so in terms of rankings, the top skaters at Olympics lose zip if they don't do Worlds.

Even in a non-Olympic season, a skater/team who finished in the top 3 at the GPF, did Euros or 4CC then skipped Worlds, would rank higher than a skater who did just one GP event and won it, then won Worlds.

I'd say the prize money is MUCH more geared to getting top skaters to compete in the GP than at Worlds.

Look at the Ladies rankings: Miki Ando is #3, even though she hasn't won a single Senior competition in the past 3 years, was 15th in the Olympics and didn't even go to Worlds 2006. But she's been to two GPFs in a row and won the 2004 JGPF. Joannie Rochette is #6. Her best finish at Worlds/Olympics was 5th in Torino, but she made it to the GPF last year and won bronze, so she outranks Sasha Cohen, the Olympic silver medalist, 2006 World bronze medalist and two-time World silver medalist, because Sasha did just one GP event this year and sat out the GP last season with a back injury.

On the Pairs list, Petrova/Tikhonov outrank TT/MM and Shen/Zhao because they made it to the GPF 3 years in a row. TT/MM sat out the GP last season after Tatiana's fall at Skate America, and Shen/Zhao withdrew from Worlds 2005 after a serious injury and could not do the GP this year.

Jeffrey Buttle outranks OGM winner Plushenko because Plushenko did only one GP event this season. Sandhu, who has never medaled at Worlds or Olympics but made the GPF two years in a row (but never made the GPF podium) outranks Olympic silver medalist, two-time World Champion and 2005-2006 GPF champion Lambiel because Lambiel couldn't compete in the GP at all last season after having knee surgery.

 

[Antilles]

Firstly, referring to another poster as an ignoramus is rude and uncalled for.

Secondly, in terms of the whining, I agree with those who point out athletes in other sports who do many more competitions. In any sport at an elite level, a lot of practice is needed to keep in top shape, but that doesn't stop athletes from competing in multiple competitions. Look at tennis players. Their season doesn't ever really end. For the women, a match can easily go an hour and a half, and men often play three hours or more. They will do this multiple times over a week or two week long period, and then be back at again the week after.

 

[Norlite]

Sandhu, who has never medaled at Worlds or Olympics but made the GPF two years in a row (but never made the GPF podium) .

Actually, he is the GPF champion, 2003.

That's all I have, carry on.

 

[antmanb]

Firstly, referring to another poster as an ignoramus is rude and uncalled for.

QUOTE]

It was but then i thought the original post was rude and uncalled for, hence my reaction

Ant

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I like watching the male skaters, but that lip gloss........

 

[antmanb]

I like watching the male skaters, but that lip gloss........

Who was wearing lip gloss...i'm still catching up on my viewing of the competition and still have the Men's LP to watch.

Ant

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Who was wearing lip gloss...i'm still catching up on my viewing of the competition and still have the Men's LP to watch.Ant

From the words of Toller:

Cranston: "The popularity has dropped off because of its weirdness. You have people like Emanuel Sandhu and Johnny Weir at a very high level who are very good skaters but they're more weird than interesting. You have men skating around with lip gloss, eye shadow and chiffon scarves

Joe

 

[antmanb]

From the words of Toller:



Joe

The quote didn't come out...who was Toller referring to though? In the K+C close ups you can see nearly all of the men wear make up on the ice - with the white ice surface it makes everyone look pale so practically all of them were wearing foundation. I can believe that quite a few were wearing eye shadow but it was all fairly flesh toned cos no-one looked like an 80s throw back...lip gloss?!

Ant

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

The quote didn't come out...who was Toller referring to though? In the K+C close ups you can see nearly all of the men wear make up on the ice - with the white ice surface it makes everyone look pale so practically all of them were wearing foundation. I can believe that quite a few were wearing eye shadow but it was all fairly flesh toned cos no-one looked like an 80s throw back...lip gloss?!

Ant

Ant - This is Toller speaking, not me. I don't have a problem with men wearing make up under those stadium lights. I just wrote lip gloss as a hoot. I don't think Toller was naming anyone in particular. He was being dimplomatic, but was he correct?

Joe

 

[Mathman]

The quote didn't come out...

Ant, can you see this:

Cranston: "The popularity has dropped off because of its weirdness. You have people like Emanuel Sandhu and Johnny Weir at a very high level who are very good skaters but they're more weird than interesting. You have men skating around with lip gloss, eye shadow and chiffon scarves."

It says, 'Cranston: "The popularity has dropped off because of its weirdness. You have people like Emanuel Sandhu and Johnny Weir at a very high level who are very good skaters but they're more weird than interesting. You have men skating around with lip gloss, eye shadow and chiffon scarves.'"

If you can't see the full quote, your computer might not be interacting with GS's vBulletinboard software correctly.

MM

 

[waxel]

antmanb, perhaps for you it's a good thing the season is over and emotions and interest will abate. You seem to be oddly enraged by a casual post on a casual discussion board. I am a devoted skating fan and take it very seriously. However, sorry, it does annoy me when skaters whine about being tired from too many competitions ... usually after they've tanked one.

Signed,
the ignoramus

Yes, Jonnycoop, my screen name does come from the term for a blown axel jump. I think I heard it first in a reference made by Scott Hamilton.

 

[antmanb]

Ant - This is Toller speaking, not me. I don't have a problem with men wearing make up under those stadium lights. I just wrote lip gloss as a hoot. I don't think Toller was naming anyone in particular. He was being dimplomatic, but was he correct?

Joe

Don't worry Jo - i knew it was a quote from Toller i just couldn't get the quote to come out!!

Ant

 

[antmanb]

Ant, can you see this:



It says, 'Cranston: "The popularity has dropped off because of its weirdness. You have people like Emanuel Sandhu and Johnny Weir at a very high level who are very good skaters but they're more weird than interesting. You have men skating around with lip gloss, eye shadow and chiffon scarves.'"

If you can't see the full quote, your computer might not be interacting with GS's vBulletinboard software correctly.

MM

To be fair, its likely to be me that's the problem...me and computers aren't the best of friends...i'm amazed i even manage to participatre on forums like these with my technical ability!!!

 

[Ladskater]

The gist of what Toller is saying is true. Figure skating is not what it used to be.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

ITA with all of this, especially the second part. And you might also have mentioned the ones that moan and whine when they have to skate in the 9AM qualifying group when they probably get up at hideous times in the morning anyway to practice when they're back at home.....

Lad - When skaters get up early to practice in their daily lives, they are not facing judges with a practice of the long program but a long program that will be judged. It does give the skater a bit of the creepies much more than skating a long program at 4pm in the afternoon.

Joe

 

[JonnyCoop]

Lad - When skaters get up early to practice in their daily lives, they are not facing judges with a practice of the long program but a long program that will be judged. It does give the skater a bit of the creepies much more than skating a long program at 4pm in the afternoon.

Joe

First of all, Lad didn't post this, I did...

Secondly, yes, that's true, but the complaints I've heard about from skaters who don't like to skate in the morning have never mentioned "facing the judges at 9 in the morning", it's "SKATING SO EARLY". Period. (Tho I reiterate, these apply to the complaints I've seen quoted). Some people (many) have to face bad-tempered bosses at 9:00 in the morning 5 days a week as opposed to a panel of judges at 9:00 in the morning once or twice a year. I'd take the latter any day of the week.

Personally, if I was well-trained and used to getting up early anyway, I'd MUCH rather have the morning qualifying group just to GET IT OVER WITH. By the afternoon group, I'd have way too much time to get nervous.

 

[antmanb]

First of all, Lad didn't post this, I did...

Secondly, yes, that's true, but the complaints I've heard about from skaters who don't like to skate in the morning have never mentioned "facing the judges at 9 in the morning", it's "SKATING SO EARLY". Period. (Tho I reiterate, these apply to the complaints I've seen quoted). Some people (many) have to face bad-tempered bosses at 9:00 in the morning 5 days a week as opposed to a panel of judges at 9:00 in the morning once or twice a year. I'd take the latter any day of the week.

Personally, if I was well-trained and used to getting up early anyway, I'd MUCH rather have the morning qualifying group just to GET IT OVER WITH. By the afternoon group, I'd have way too much time to get nervous.

I think the difference is getting your body woken up in time to skate well for 9am. Yes at home you might be up at 6am in the morning every day to train...you might still skate like crap. I spent a few months going to a training sessionsat this time to train for a competition and in the end ditched that practice because my body (despite being awake an hour and half before that) just did not wake up and wouldn't skate like i normally do in the evenings...and that's doing recreational adult skating not elite level skating. In the end i sacked off the early mornign practice because it wasn't helping and because of my body not being up to speed so early in the morning tripped and fell banging my head and suffering whip lash for the next few days. icn't begin to tell you how odd and uncomfortable jumps and spins felt skating that early in the morning - i actually couldn't do one of my spins at all that early int he morning but going back the same day in the evening - piece of cake.

The point is tha t even if the skaters get up at 4am so that they've been up for longer by the time 9am comes...you have to try to keep yourself active so that you don't just fall asleep but you can't really exercise hard because you need to save yourself for the competition later.

The biggest complaint i would have as a skater is that one group skated at 9 am and the other in the evening which to me gives the evening skaters an unfair advantage.

Ant

 

[antmanb]

Just to explain further - i am only speaking from my own personal experience i am NOT a "morning person" and never have been. For some reason i just don't function well in the morning...even though i've been getting up for work to arrive at 8.30 every single day for the last 6 years, i'm still not used to the mornings...the only period in my life where for all of the hours i was awake in a day i felt totally awake and ready was in college for a year when all of my classes were in the afternoon and i would get up 12.30 (midday) go to classes and then work/relax/do assignments and go to bed at 4/5am.

Ant

 

[tripleflutz]

Was he saying that they are weird skaters or just weird in general. I think he was talking about their behavior, not their skating.

I don't have a problem with makeup for TV or show lighting, but the eye skadow and lip gloss are unnecessary, really over the top. I saw a overly made up, well known male skater, up close at a show last year and he looked kinda silly in eye shadow.

 

[paralegalmkfan]

:indiff: I kinda . . . sorta . . . agree with him. Okay. Bye.